Congress needs to change: Rahul Gandhi

Guwahati: Asserting that there was a need to bring a change in his party, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the process has begun, adding that decentralization of power is essential to tackle corruption.

Addressing a rally in Assam Veterinary Field, Gandhi said, "There is a need to bring change in the party and we will do it fast. The first step in this direction is to make the selection of candidates from among the people."

He said the party has initiated the selection of candidates through primaries in some constituencies of the country with Guwahati being one of them.

“Soon the process would be extended to more and more constituencies. In future, I want all candidates of the party to be elected through elections. Anybody can aspire to contest the elections within the party and so people from all sections can be part of the selection process," Gandhi added.

He stressed that the party needs to give more power to the people, particularly, to women.

"I want to empower women. Here at the rally, I am seeing more men than women but in future, I want to see more or equal women in future. In the next five years, we will strive for 50 percent representation for women in Parliament and all Assemblies," he said.

As supporters raised slogans of 'BJP murdabad', he said, "Do not use the word murdabad, unhe gussa karne dijiye, Congress pyar ki party hai (Let them be angry, Congress is a party of love). Congress sirf ek party nahi hai, ek soch hai (Congress is not merely a party but a thought). It is like a vase where there is place for everybody," he said.

The Congress believed that it was the people and not the leaders who were taking the country toward progress and development for the last 70 years and would continue to do so in the future, Gandhi added.